(Eagle News) — Rappler Holdings Corp. president Maria Ressa on Tuesday, Dec. 11, posted bail for the tax cases filed against her.
Ressa went to the Court of Tax Appeals to post the bail bond in the amount of P204,000—P24,000 for one count of violation of Section 254 of the National Internal Revenue Code, or tax evasion, and P60,000 for each of the three counts for violation of Section 255 or for deliberate failure to supply correct and accurate information n income tax returns.
The CTA’s First division set her arraignment to Jan. 23, 2019.
The charges were filed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue in March.
Based on the complaint, Ressa and RHC failed to pay taxes from the sale of Philippine Depositary Receipts to NBM Rappler LP and Omidyar Network Find LLC in 2015.
The BIR estimated the deficiency at P133.84 million.
Ressa also faces charges for violation of Section 255 of the NIRC when she allegedly failed to report the total quarterly sales receipts stemming from the sale of the PDRs.
She has posted bail in connection with that case.
In a decision dated January 11, 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission revoked the certificate of incorporation of online news website, Rappler, after it ruled it and RHC violated Philippine laws, specifically the provision on foreign equity restriction under the Constitution, when it issued PDRs to North Base Media through NBM Rappler LP, and Omidyar Network.